THE HEDGE ACCENTOR 103 



such a freely uttered one as that of the Robin, but 

 one that is generally evoked by a sunny interval in 

 the winter's dreariness. In the second place it is 

 decidedly a cheerful song, yet just a trifle plain- 

 tive, somewhat resembling the first part of the 

 Wren's song, beginning full of promise, but un- 

 fortunately stayed before better things are reached. 

 To our mind it always gives the impression of a 

 performance which has been suddenly checked and 

 disturbed in the middle. The Hedge Accentor 

 is certainly a persistent singer, especially in early 

 spring, warbling forth one little refrain after another 

 with delightful perseverance. It is a bird that is 

 frequently heard well into the dusk, and is one 

 of the earliest of our songsters to recommence at 

 dawn. 



Another thing which endears the Hedge Accentor 

 to most of us is its charming little nest, often built 

 in situations that betoken trustfulness of the rashest 

 kind. It is also one of our earliest birds to make 

 an effort in this direction, and many a pretty nest 

 comes to grief through a late fall of snow or a 

 prolonged frost. The favourite nesting-places of 

 this species are hedges, shrubberies, gardens, and 

 low underwood. The bird appears to pair very 

 early, even in January, and often months before a 

 nest is made. Although several nests may fre- 

 quently be found in the same hedge we do not 

 notice any social tendency. The nest is never built 



